Rajai Davis' speed makes a big difference for Tigers

Detroit Tigers Rajai Davis runs into home late to score on a double by Ian Kinsler for a 2-1 lead over the Chicago White Sox in Detroit on Wednesday, September 24, 2014.(Photo: Julian H. Gonzalez | Gannett Michigan)Buy Photo

Rajai Davis stood on first base, staring at the pitcher, digging his cleats into the dirt, preparing to take off.

And it was like looking at a jet, waiting on the runway, engines revving.

In that moment, the game changed.

"He changes the game when he's on the bases," Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said after Davis played a crucial role in a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday at Comerica Park. "He immediately takes the pitcher's focus off of the hitter when he's on base, whether he is on first or second."

Now, let's go back to the scene in the seventh inning. Javy Guerra was on the mound for the White Sox, and Ian Kinsler was in the batter's box. It was 1-1 in a must-win game for the Tigers. Davis was going to steal second base. Everybody knew it.

So Guerra threw to first base.

Davis already was deep in his head.

On the first pitch, Davis didn't go. Kinsler took it for a ball. Pitchers have a tendency to make mistakes when Davis is on the bases because they rush and worry too much about him. "If he can focus on me that much longer," Davis said, "he's not going to make a good pitch."

Davis looked at Guerra, trying to figure out his moves. He doesn't watch film of pitchers, trying to study their pickoff moves, because they act differently when he is on base. "They always change when I get out there," he said.

On the second pitch, Davis broke for second and took several hard steps, but he stopped and scrambled back to first. And it was like watching that plane come screaming down the runway, stop and return to the gate as luggage spilled out of the overhead bins.

"I just didn't feel good about it," Davis said.

But he was seriously messing with Guerra. Clearly, Davis was rattling him. Often, Kinsler gets more fastballs when Davis is on base because the pitcher is trying to give the catcher a chance to throw Davis out. "We have an understanding," Davis said. "If it's there, Kinsler should crush it."

Kinsler worked the count full. Finally, Davis took off, trying to steal second, and Kinsler crushed the ball into leftfield. Davis saw the ball clearly. He hit the jets, scored with ease, and before you could blink, the Tigers led, 2-1.

This is what the Tigers were missing last year — somebody who can manufacture runs with his legs. Somebody who can freak out the opposing pitcher. Somebody who can change an intense, tight game with his legs, which is criucial in the playoffs.

A few hours later, Davis stood at his locker after playing a game in which he was responsible for half of the Tigers' runs, scoring twice and driving in another.

And he did it all with his legs.

"I love my role on this team, I love hitting ninth," he said. "I'm comfortable with it, and I like it."

And now, it looks as if Davis will be playing in the postseason for the first time. "I've always sat back in October and I thought, 'Man, one day, I don't know when it's going to be, but one day I'm going to be playing in these games,' " he said. "I finally have the opportunity. It's really something that I've been wishing for for a while."

Even bullpen affected

One last thing.

Davis changed this game in another subtle but significant way.

In the eighth inning, Davis batted with a runner on third base. He hit a bouncing ball to the left side of the infield. "I was able to chop it into the ground and beat it out," he said.

Davis came screaming down the line and got an infield hit, driving in the run. Then, Davis promptly stole second base, getting into scoring position. It was his 35th stolen base of the season — the number the Tigers had last year as a team. Which probably says everything.

So Davis was on second base, and Kinsler hit a ball into shallow centerfield. Davis scored with ease to give the Tigers a 6-1 lead.

In essence, Davis had given the Tigers two additional runs in the eighth inning with his infield hit. That allowed Ausmus to change how he used his bullpen. He let Joakim Soria pitch the ninth instead of Joe Nathan.

So in one game, Davis broke open a tie game, scored half of the runs, helped build a big cushion and took all the pressure off the bullpen. All because of his legs.